Pack Making a Run at Ohio DE

Pack Pride has the latest on Ohio defensive end Austin Traylor and his thoughts on the Wolfpack.

So long as Tom O'Brien is the head coach at NC State you can bet Ohio will be a recruiting pipeline for the Wolfpack.

One of the Buckeye State's top defensive ends from the Class of 2011 holds an offer from NC State as well as several other Division I programs.

Austin Traylor, a 6-4, 211-pound prospect from Columbus (Ohio) Walnut Ridge, told Pack Pride that he has a high level of interest in NC State now that he holds an offer from the school.

"Yes, they offered me," Traylor confirmed. "It was in January. I'm not sure of the exact date but they offered me in late January. My coach got them a copy of my film and I guess they watched it and liked it. They thought it looked good."

That's what NC State has told the young man directly. He has spoken with a member of the Pack's coaching staff, and thus far Traylor has been impressed with what he has learned.

"I've talked to coach Don (Horton)," Traylor recalled. "I was excited when they offered because they're an ACC school. I'm interested in them. I want to get down there to go visit the campus. I'm just waiting on basketball season to end."

Traylor is an impressive basketball player. He estimates that he is averaging 15 points and eight rebounds per game from his small forward position, and a couple of schools have shown interest in him as a college basketball player.

"Football is probably where I'm going to end up playing, though," he noted, before mentioning that he recorded 80 tackles and 14 sacks last year.

In addition to NC State, Traylor has picked up offers from West Virginia, Indiana, Bowling Green, Toledo and Ball State. He noted he has been recruited by Ohio State, Cincinnati, Michigan State, Boston College, Minnesota and Notre Dame, whose coaching staff first noticed him when they were at Cincinnati.

"I'm open to leaving the area," Traylor said. "Sometimes I'm kind of thinking I do want to leave (the area), and sometimes I don't. I would love to go play in a warmer state, but location doesn't really matter."

West Virginia has told Traylor that he could play defensive end while occasionally sliding back to play linebacker.

Traylor told Pack Pride that he at least wants to wait until after the spring before making a decision.